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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28990905">Foudroyant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterAwakened/pseuds/Writer%20Awakened'>Writer Awakened (WriterAwakened)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimson Flower, Drama, Endgame, Gen, Modernist, Non-Linear Narrative, Platonic-ish, Spoilers, Time Blurring</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28990905</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterAwakened/pseuds/Writer%20Awakened</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If nothing else, it was a beautiful death: loud and glorious as a peal of thunder, powerful and as bright as a lightning strike.</p><p>(Catherine and Shamir, on the day they both knew would come, standing on opposite sides)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Catherine &amp; Shamir Nevrand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Foudroyant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">
  <em>Get out of the way, idiot!</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The sharp lash of pain through Catherine’s body was the least surprising thing about that moment. At that range, Shamir didn’t miss. The arrow had torn through her chest, just below the right shoulder, slipping between the cracks of her breastplate and pauldrons. The surprise was that <em>she</em> didn’t miss.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"><em>Why</em> <em> did you get </em> <em>so close? Why didn’t you just</em> <em> stay </em> <em>away?</em></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It took a moment to fully realize what had just happened. Warm blood washed over her hands. Her knees shook, and then her mind buckled under the strain.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was a day quite like any other. In the training hall, while the others clashed blades or thrust at wooden men, Catherine tried in vain to strike Shamir with a wooden practice sword. Shamir was inscrutable. She would rather run than hit. The entire time she kept her weapon at her side. Normally Catherine could see every little movement, every subtle cue in her opponents movement; it was like Shamir was born to throw cold water on her insight. As long as Catherine could when what her opponents could do before even they knew, her bone-cool poise during combat would hold strong. It was something about Shamir’s uncanny ability to never belie what she was thinking and refusal to engage close enough to approach Catherine’s thrusts that kept her right on the edge—until, finally, the thin, self-satisfied little smirk on Shamir’s face began to set her off and the old Cassandra instincts kicked in hard.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">With two hands, she lunged at Shamir, who dodged so easily she couldn’t stifle a laugh. She seemed to notice the thundercloud that surged in Catherine’s eyes. Quick enough to fool the eyes, Catherine lunged forward again, bolt of lightning—and this time she struck home, right in the center of her chest. Shamir recoiled in pain, the wooden sword crashing down so hard it bent and splintered down the middle. Instantly the thundercloud cleared, and she stepped back, shocked.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Get out of the way, idiot!” Catherine cried out, wincing.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hunched over, right arm curled around her chest, Shamir struggled to smile. “You don’t get it? That was...my only chance.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Stunned, Catherine helped Shamir to her feet.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Your chance? Seriously? What the hell were you even thinking?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Shamir shook her head and furrowed her eyebrows. “I saw the look in your eyes. The only thing enough to break through your thick skull was a bit of pain. Mine.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The blood rushed from Catherine’s face. Shamir fell forward into her arms as her legs gave way and her eyelashes began to flutter.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em>I told you, get out of—</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Lightheadedness was settling in rapidly. The arrow had punched through her nearly to the fletch. Even in the heat of battle, even Catherine had to fight the urge to rip it out with her bare hands.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“G-Get back, Shamir. You’re just making it worse. What the hell were you...” Thunderbrand’s hilt, protruding from the center of Shamir’s chest, was forced deeper in as she collapsed forward into Catherine’s arms. Catherine had to fight the urge to draw it out with all her might.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“You’re so...such an idiot sometimes. Don’t take...everything so personally.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The two women took a seat in the corner of the hall, leaning against the wall, close enough to feel the heat rising from each other.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I get it,” Catherine said. “You’re trying to teach me a lesson. Guess I did get a bit too bull-headed there.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“If I had decided to fire back, you’d be looking at a pretty big hole through your chest right now.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Catherine laughed, toweling off the layer of sweat on her face. “You flatter yourself. I had it all under control.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Sure. You really think you have everything under control, don’t you?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Yep. ‘cause I do!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Shamir rolled her eyes. “Better hope next time I don’t show any pity.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Shamir’s blood ran hot through Catherine’s fingers. She tried to blot it, use the hem of her undershirt to stem the bleeding, but Thunderbrand’s jagged edges had dug deep and the wound refused to give ground.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“You...never learn.” A thin, self-satisfied smirk settled on Shamir’s face. “My old partner...’till the end. The only way...to get through...”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Catherine paused, lost in thought for a moment. “Hey, Shamir. How about we go for a drink? Something cold to knock off the sweat. I’ll even treat you. Don’t get used to it!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Guess I can’t say no, can I?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Catherine laughed and tousled Shamir’s hair thanklessly. “You learn quick. Let’s go!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Not seeming to have remembered anything that had happened, Catherine hoisted Shamir to her feet with a sudden jerk and patted her shoulder.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Smart-ass,” Shamir said, grimacing. She grabbed at her chest where the bruise was bound to pop up sooner or later, probably sooner. The knights who’d been training earlier had filed out, and the few bored spectators who’d stayed around to watch the two women fight had long since lost interest. Alone in the hall, their voices seemed to carry straight across to the other end.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Hey, who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to score today. Always some good-looking men in town this early in the evening. Let’s see who can land the bigger fish.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Shamir shook her head. Everything had to be a competition with Catherine. She didn’t settle for half measures.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“You’ve got to be kidding me. Tell me you’re not being serious.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Dead serious. Unless you know you’re gonna lose. C’mon, you can be my wing-woman. You’ll be my springboard to victory!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Sorry. I won’t play second fiddle to you in anything.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Catherine shook Shamir. Her body was going limp. Her self-satisfied little smirk threatened to freeze that way.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I thought you weren’t...stupid enough to get yourself killed. That’s why I—” The heat rising from the city streets was smothering. Sweat lashed their brows.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Told you...we fight...and die...so different.” Shamir began to convulse, foam bubbling at the corners of her lips. “But we both...hate to lose.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The midday sun and cloudless blue above were fine portents. The town at Garreg Mach was always lively; there was plenty of everything Catherine loved there: good food, good blacksmiths, people who knew her name, and a lot of friends who were always happy to see her. No one said time away from the job didn’t have to feel like work. Sometimes she had the impression that no one’d told Shamir that.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Bathed in blood, the tears she wanted to shed didn’t come. Only anger, a thundercloud that surged and roared in her eyes. She’d been gifted something she hadn’t wanted, something she’d asked for, but something she couldn’t just return.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em>You could’ve just run away. Like you always do.</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“So, you ready? First one to walk out with a guy on their arm wins. Doesn’t matter if he’s still there by tomorrow.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“You’re not giving this up, are you? Fine. I’ll humor you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“It’s not going to be easy to beat you. You’ve got that hard-to-get attitude and that lone-wolf look. You know that’s hard to resist.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Shamir shrugged. “Can’t help it. Born with it.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Catherine shook Shamir again, as if she would sputter back to life with a sudden jolt. A weird, deep smile fell over Shamir’s face, and Catherine found herself smiling back despite herself.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Stupid...you knew...I wouldn’t hesitate. Don’t tell me...you wanted...”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em>If this is hell...then only Lady Rhea can save me…</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Finally Shamir’s body went limp. Catherine put one foot up on her torso and used her entire weight to extract the blood-soaked Thunderbrand from her chest. She cradled Shamir’s body in her arms. The smoke in her lungs and the blood leaking out were beginning to take their toll. The fires of hell and the sound of battle melted together into a haze of oranges and grays. If nothing else, it was a beautiful death: loud and glorious as a peal of thunder, powerful and as bright as a lightning strike. She fell back, Shamir falling on top of her. Catherine tousled her hair, and snaked her arm around Shamir’s waist, clinging to any last bit of comfort she could find. Darkness fell.</p><p class="western"> </p><p>After some time, the two women emerged from the tavern. Neither arm of either woman had a man attached to it, but neither seemed too broken up about it.</p><p> </p><p>Hands on her hips, Shamir wore the same nonchalant smirk she'd always had. Absolutely nothing fazed her, despite being entirely complicit in their abject failure. "So much for the hard-to-get attitude, huh?"</p><p> </p><p>Shamir turned to Catherine. The moonlight framing her bright hair painted her silhouette. She was frightening in the dark, but seeing her sway soddenly was ever so slightly charming despite how silly a sight it was. Liquor-red cheeks stood out against the dark horizon. Shamir could almost smell the ale on her breath from feet away.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, I also said you had the lone wolf thing going on," Catherine said through a grin, and wagged her finger at her partner. "Don't think I didn't see you over there <em>not</em> trying to score tonight. Lame! It's like you didn't even <em>want</em> to win."</p><p> </p><p>"Something like that. I just wanted some space tonight. Unlike you, I like to hear myself think sometimes."</p><p> </p><p>"Well, damn. I guess that's why they don't call it a 'together wolf', huh?"</p><p> </p><p>After a moment, both burst into peals of laughter.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, have fun with your 'space'. I think I'm gonna go find some more trouble. Come back to me when you're ready to rejoin the 'pack'." Catherine winked and waved with the back of her hand as she sauntered away. Shamir rolled her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>The night was still young by the town's standards, but the two women parted ways.</p>
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